Thursday, December 16, 2010

My new to-do list

Have you looked at the calendar lately, if you haven't, there are only nine days till Christmas, and that's got me a little upset this evening. No, not that there are "only eight more shopping days left" or that I have so much left to do, but that I have wasted so much time, and one thing I'm sure of is, you cannot go back in time.

I've been busy this Christmas season, busier than I am on normal weeks and busier than I usually allow myself to get during the holidays, I think it might have something to do with keeping my mind off of Chloe, but that's for another post. Today I was driving to get the kids from school and I realized, Christmas is almost here and I have done nothing to enjoy it, nothing to stop and take it all in, nothing to worship.

After we got our Christmas tree decorated this year, Kylynn was so excited, she told me what she wanted to do, sit in there at night, turn off all the lights and look at the tree while drinking hot chocolate, it was such a wonderful idea, and I've yet to make time for it. I've somehow gotten my priorities flipped on their heads and forgotten that sitting with my daughter enjoying Christmas is something I need to do.

As we've been praying over how God would like Christmas to look in our house we've removed some of the distractions that get in the way of our family worshipping God this time of year. In their place God has shown me several ways to make this time magical while we remember Him, one of them, lighting the candles during our Advent study was a big hit with the kids. The problem is making the time to do these things, with nine days left we still have three nights of advent to complete.

In order to honor God with how we celebrate, it is important to replace the old traditions with new ones. I don't want to just stop letting myself get busy with what the world tells me I have to do, I want to get busy doing what God wants me to do.

Tonight we did something I hope will become a tradition for our family, our friends invited a group of people together to go caroling. It was wonderful, the kids were so excited they could have flown from house to house, and while I sang the words to "Silent Night" or "O Come all ye Faithful" I managed to pause and remember Him, the baby born in a manager, born to save us.

As I looked around I decided something. I may only have nine days till Christmas, but they are going to be different from the first 16 days of this month, they will be slower and more purposeful. I will write on the top of my to-do list, drink hot chocolate by the tree, go look at Christmas lights, and be still and focus on Christ the Lord.

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About Me

Adoption changed my life, made it better, sweeter. I hope I can share with you what I'm learning on this journey and give you courage, should you find yourself on that same journey. I'm a follower of Jesus, a wife to Kyle, and a mom to three beautiful children.